


Tenten's Guide to Bodyguard-Dating

by misspandalily



Series: to be a dreamer [5]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Bodyguard AU, F/M, NejiTen - Freeform, SasuSaku - Freeform, Tenten-centric, i have no idea how bodyguards actually work, tenten is a straight up badass
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-01
Updated: 2017-04-23
Packaged: 2018-10-13 12:21:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10513665
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misspandalily/pseuds/misspandalily
Summary: All the signs were there.The eyes. The hair. The 180-degree posture. The billboards.She was, ironically, too unobservant to connect the blinking red dots and see the reality lying before her. Trained since she could talk, Tenten could hold her breath underwater for five whole minutes, and sprint over a tightrope suspended 500 yards above the ground while holding a screaming baby. But, she could not - for the life of her - realise that Neji Hyuga was in fact her client, and not the blind date that Temari had set up for her.Unfortunately, Tenten found that out the hard way.





	1. Chapter 1

All the signs were there.

The eyes. The hair. The 180-degree posture. The _billboards_.

She was, ironically, too unobservant to connect the blinking red dots and see the reality lying before her. Trained since she could talk, Tenten could hold her breath underwater for five whole minutes, and sprint over a tightrope suspended 500 yards above the ground while holding a screaming baby. But, she could not - _for the life of her_ \- realise that Neji Hyuga was in fact her client, and not the blind date that Temari had set up for her.

Unfortunately, Tenten found that out the hard way.

* * *

**Sunday, June 26. 8:56 AM**

**From: Konoha Intelligence Agency**

**To: Agent 02**

**Re: Your new assignment**

Report to HQ by exactly 1400 hours. Do not be late.

* * *

**Classified**

**June 26| 1359 UTC**

Tenten pushed open the doors to Agent 00's office, and was immediately greeted by a bright, blinding light that folded over her line of sight. She briefly paused at the doorway to readjust her vision, then strode towards her boss as she returned his customary blink of acknowledgement with a smile.

"Agent Two," he removed his chin from the dip in his folded hands, welcoming her into the seat opposite his desk. Tenten took it graciously. "Punctual, as always."

Sasuke Uchiha wasn't the type of person who wasted more than three seconds on "trivial" things like niceties and social etiquette, unless it was for a meeting with potential connections, or a dinner with Sakura's parents. The moment Tenten opened her mouth to greet him formally, he slid a thick manila folder over and said, authoritatively, "You know the drill; memorise every letter, of every word, of every line. Ensure that you do not leave a single page unturned or unread."

Unperturbed by his blunt orders, Tenten heaved the folder onto her lap, opened it up, and hooked a finger over the first sheet of paper she encountered: her client's profile.

"Hyuga, Neji," she whistled, impressed. "But, uh," Sasuke's right eyebrow rose inquisitively, "There's no picture of him."

He coughed. "Do you read tabloid magazines, Agent Two?"

"No?" Tenten was a little affronted by the sudden topic shift; she hadn't taken Sasuke as the kind of man who would spend his days rifling through gossip columns with avid enthusiasm. "Do you?"

"Of course not," he shifted in his seat, "However, considering your client... I would deem it wise to brush up on your knowledge of the world around you."

Tenten didn't know what to say, because one simply didn't work for an intelligence agency for a little over five years without knowing anything about the world around them. She didn't vocalise her concerns, of course; nobody spoke their mind to Sasuke Uchiha unless they wanted out, or they were his wife. "With all due respect, sir, gossip magazines tend to present a rather...sensationalist interpretation of our world." He narrowed his eyes at her, as if daring her to further protest against and disobey his commands. She decided, to Hell with it, and continued, "I don't believe that reading tabloids will be wholly necessary to my client's protection."

Tenten bit her tongue when his glare deepened. "Please pardon me, I j-"

He held up a hand, stare unwavering. "Conceded. You may leave."

After years of being accustomed to Sasuke's curt mannerisms, she didn't think twice about his brusque dismissal; if anything, he was being nicer than usual. She nodded, standing up from her seat before making a beeline towards the door.

It was only after she stepped out of the office that she finally deigned to look at the nearby news-stand's pile of _OK Konoha_ prints, all stacked on top of each other, ready to sell like hotcakes, and headlined with an emboldened "Hyuga Harlot Strikes Again!". A flurry of hands flew past her, making grabs for the magazines like no tomorrow.

"Another one. Lovely," a sneering woman with bright, red hair was flipping through some of the pages in front of her, "This guy seriously needs to keep his pants together."

Tenten huffed, deeming her brief detour a useless venture, then made her way to the cabs parked down the street. Regardless of Neji Hyuga's reputation, being his bodyguard meant standing behind him as his shadow, no questions asked, no judgement passed unnecessarily. When the time called for it, Tenten was a professional.

That, and the paycheck would be her salvation from taxes for months.

* * *

**Sunday, June 26. 10:00 AM**

**From: tampon**

If you ditch this blind date again, I swear to Kami that you will regret it. Be at the Tavern at 6pm tonight; he'll be the guy waiting for you at the bar. Love you! xx

* * *

**Sunday, June 26. 6:30 PM**

**From: Konoha Intelligence Agency**

**To: Agent 02**

**Re: Assignment details**

Ensure that the integrity of your files are not compromised. Should such an event occur, we will take appropriate action.

Your assignment begins on Monday, at precisely 0900 hours. Behave accordingly.

* * *

**The Tavern**

**June 26| 1900 UTC**

It was a conspiracy.

Her friends were trying to set her up with the biggest snob in history as payback for filling their shampoo bottles with mayonnaise, because _this_ guy, this _guy_ , was a grade-A asshole.

"Hi! I'm Tenten. You must be Temari's friend." She forced a cheerful smile onto her brusquely made-up face, and refrained from slapping the guy when he took in her attire with a look of utter scorn. Admittedly, black, office-standard heels, hastily pulled-back chignon buns, and a scrunched-up black dress weren't exactly suitable for any date of any kind, but it wasn't like _he_ was even trying either. No self-respecting gentleman wore a business suit to a blind date and ordered a shot of vodka without asking his date if she wanted a drink, too.

As it happened, Tenten really _did_ want a drink, because work. And, stress-inducing friends.

She looked back down at the text to make sure she wasn't getting any information wrong. She was at the Tavern on High Street, the one near Hyuga Industries that they always frequented on Fridays, after Hinata stepped out of her gruelling office job. Tenten inwardly hoped that her blind date had gotten sick of her an hour ago, when she was sleeping instead of keeping her promise, and ditched the bar, because this particular man's judgemental stare was getting on her nerves. If he denied any associations with Temari, then Tenten was free. If not-

"Temari no Sabaku?" He asked, in his annoyingly smooth voice. Also, damn her. Tenten nodded, hiding the grimace that was starting to make its way onto her face.

"Yeah, that's her." She settled herself into the barstool two places away from him.

"Ah."

There were other things that Tenten could be doing, like going through the files she left in her safe at home, or re-organising the home-desk that she'd been piling files onto for half a year. Call her a work-a-holic, but rent never payed itself, and Tenten wasn't all too fond of wasting her time in a pub next to an icicle with a superiority complex.

She hummed, surmising that Temari wasn't exactly spying on her, so there was no need to actually do anything on the date. For all Tenten cared, they could just sit at the bar for the entire night, absorbed in their own little worlds, and no one would be the wiser except the sleepy-eyed bartender and possibly the drunk, unconscious man lying a few seats away.

Reaching a pleasing conclusion, Tenten signalled the barman over for a shot of whisky, then sighed. Just one night of procrastination wouldn't hurt. She had enough time for a couple of drinks before heading home and getting all her research done for her new client.

Yes, that was a viable plan. She sipped at the glass contemplatively, before a sudden buzzing sound at her side pulled her away from her blissful self-indulgence. It was Temari.

"Hey, girl."

"What are you doing?" Temari's voice was calm, placid, and that was scary.

"I'm at the Tavern, like you said. I mean," Tenten snuck a quick glance at her date, who was as caught up in his own thoughts as she had been. "Nothing much is happening, aside from the drinking."

Her friend let out a pained groan. "Have you at least said hi? Is he even the correct person?"

Tenten shrugged. "I've introduced myself, I guess. He seems to know who you are, so I'm assuming he's the right guy." Her date's attention suddenly shifted over to her, brilliant grey eyes observing the conversation attentively. She opted for a friendly approach and sent him a toothy grin.

"You're hopeless," Temari dead panned. "I see why Sakura stopped trying to set you up in highschool now. Kami forbid if you ever had to speak to a _male_."

"Don't be silly," she paused, downing the rest of drinking without batting an eyelash. From the corner of her vision, she saw The Date smirk. "I talk to plenty of guys."

"Your workmates don't count, and neither do Lee and Gai. Those two are on a class of their own."

"My boys," Tenten wiped an invisible tear away from her eye, "How they make me smile."

From the other end, she could imagine Temari pulling a face, and giggled. "Anyway, you may have some hope yet. Stick it out with this guy; trust me, he's a good one."

"We'll see." The line disconnected seconds later, after which Tenten leapt off her seat and started to head towards the door. She was tipsy, but drunk-Tenten who normally took risks or did as Temari wished without question was dormant today. Today, she had work to do.

Well, had, before a warm hand cupped itself around her shoulder and stopped her in her tracks. She automatically twirled herself out of the stranger's grasp, pressing her thumb deep into the pulse point on their wrist, and twisted the arm elbow-up so that their back was hunched over towards her.

It was The Date, hissing in pain.

"Oh, sorry!" Tenten released her hold at once, then watched him hug his arm to his chest and turn around to glare at her. She grinned again, but sheepishly. "Knee-jerk reaction. I seriously did _not_ mean to hurt you. Cross my heart."

The guy grimaced; something akin to approval, mixed with fascination, flashed in his eyes. "No harm done," he grumbled back, "If anything, I'm impressed. And, incredibly surprised."

"Oh." Tenten stared at him blankly, "Thank you?"

Her Date nodded imperceptibly, then coughed and moved himself into a more dignified stance, as though he hadn't had his ass handed to him seconds before.

"Did you need something?" She queried, having remembered that he probably grabbed her shoulder for a reason.

"Yes," he tilted his chin towards the bartender, whose sleepy eyes were slanted at her ominously. "You didn't pay for your drink."

Right. She grinned at the barman sheepishly, then pulled out a few notes and pressed them into his hand. "Sorry about that."

Tenten turned towards the man and gave him her default, polite smile. She had a tactic that she used whenever Temari tried to set her up: apologise, reach a false compromise, point to thin air, leave. And, as luck would have it, there was a lady in the corner booth making sultry eyes at her Date. "I'll be leaving now, sorry for being so terrible, but that woman over there seems to have her eye on you - who knows? Maybe you two are soulmates."

Predictably, the man's head swivelled around to the corner booth, successfully allowing Tenten to dash out of the Tavern and into an awaiting cab.

_Score_.

* * *

**Alarm**

**6:00 AM**

Rise and shine, meathead.

* * *

**Trending!**

Neji Hyuga; one night, two women?

* * *

**Hyuga Industries**

**June 27| 0830 UTC**

"Hello, may I help you?"

Tenten smiled sweetly, eyes scrutinising the sleek, marbled floors and shiny, glass windows from behind her shades. She counted twelve security cameras in total: two behind the receptionist's desk, and ten encircling the foyer. She tilted her head to the left ever so slightly. There was an extravagant fountain situated on the wall adjacent from her, spewing out water from the mouth of a golden lion. Its pupils flashed green every now and then; bingo, two more cameras.

"Do you need any assistance?" The receptionist repeated, smile stiffly plastered onto her face.

"Yes. I have an appointment with Mr Hiashi Hyuga at nine today."

She nodded, fingers clicking on the keys in front of her immediately. "Name?"

"Tenten."

Another nod. "Level thirty-six. I'll let the staff upstairs know about your arrival. Have a good day!"

Tenten thanked her quickly as she headed towards the nearest lift and punched in a pristine '36' button. She took a deep breath, flying through the information she'd crammed into her head the night before. Neji Hyuga, famed Hyuga Industries ambassador; new, right-hand man of heir Hinata Hyuga; and, if the magazines had taught her anything yesterday, a flesh-pleasuring man. It made Tenten realise that in all her years of knowing Hinata, she hadn't once mentioned a famous cousin or relative - then again, Tenten never had asked about Hinata's family.

The elevator decelerated to a stop a level before her destination, doors sliding open with a smooth, whooshing sound. She impatiently tapped her foot against the floor, silently begging a giggling couple to hasten their entry into the lift. Her eyes rolled to the side as they finally stepped in.

"Oh!" A sultry voice exclaimed beside her, "Looks like we won't be having any fun for now."

Gross. Tenten ignored the woman's heavy breathing, and did her best not to cringe when she witnessed the barnacle-like determination with which the woman held on to the man's arm.

His voice, somewhat detached, was - for lack of a better word - reassuring for the lady. "Lunch, then. The place from yesterday."

Tenten risked a glance backwards at the embracing duo, who were now in the midst of a heated tongue battle, then doubled back in shock before facing forwards again. It was The Date, having clearly taken her advice and moved on to the woman at the corner booth. Level thirty-six couldn't have arrived any sooner.

She strode out hurriedly, then winced when the man detangled himself from the corner-booth woman's arms followed her. Kami, whoever this guy was, she'd definitely be seeing him more often from now on, if he was working on this level. Thankfully, he didn't seem to have recognised her sans-buns and with sunglasses. Feeling a little less chagrined, Tenten parroted out the words she'd said to the office lady downstairs, then followed this one to an ebony-wood door labelled 'CEO HIASHI HYUGA'.

"He'll be with you in a moment," the bubbly woman informed, then walked back to her desk with a slight bounce in her step. Strange, she'd gotten the impression that Hyuga Industries employees were all rigid and conservative, but clearly Tenten was mistaken. Breathing in and out once again, Tenten gave the door a firm knock.

Immediately, "Come in." Twisting the doorknob open with sure hands, she entered an enormous, sun-lit office in which a man with stress lines all over his face, was reclining against his Corinthian-leather, Emperor chair. "Tenten." He greeted her, stood up from his chair, and gave her a quick handshake, which she reciprocated kindly. There were no exchanges of polite smiles, or pleasant grins, but the fact that Hinata's father remembered her well enough to be comfortable with shaking her hand was a major achievement. "I appreciate your willingness to take on my nephew as your client. I fear his safety will be compromised with his appointment as Hinata's second-in-command. Rest assured, I am confident that you will perform your task expertly."

"Thank you, sir."

The buzzer rang. Hiashi pressed down on it. "Yamanaka, please tell my nephew to enter within the next twenty seconds. He is late."

The chipper voice from before echoed through the speaker. "Sure thing, sir."

When indicated, Tenten seated herself in an armchair, removed her sunglasses, and readjusted her eyes to the new wave of light as she awaited the arrival of Neji Hyuga. The wall-clock ticked.

Suddenly, "Sorry, Uncle. I had some prior business to handle." The door clicked shut, which evidently shocked the both of them, as they leapt out of their chairs to greet Neji. For the second time that day, Tenten doubled back.

Her words flew out of her mouth before she could clamp it shut. " _You're_ Hyuga Neji?"

The Date, the billionaire, the mastermind, the perpetually-horny playboy, was her client. Sasuke's earlier warnings rang through her head as she stared at Neji Hyuga, dumbstruck.

_Do you read tabloid magazines, Agent Two?_

She sure as Hell wished she had.

* * *

**~ Daily Horoscope ~**

Don't mix business with pleasure!


	2. Chapter 2

**Hyuga Industries; Level 36**

**June 27| 0910 UTC**

Neji paused in his tracks, taking took a long, hard look at Tenten's shocked indignation before slowly turning his wide-eyed gaze away to face his uncle. He seemed to have recognised her, if the dawning comprehension that embraced his features was any indicator.

Hiashi coughed politely. "I see that you two have already been acquainted." Ignoring their dumbfounded reactions, he pressed forth. "Splendid; saves me the trouble of introducing people. I do appreciate the temporal efficiency, Tenten." Hiashi gave her a brisk nod of approval and, barely moving from his stance, handed her a thick manila folder of files. "Your contract," he clarified, handing her an exquisite fountain pen with 'Hiashi Hyuga' engraved on it in cursive font. She gingerly held it in between the tips of her forefingers as he flipped open the folder and motioned towards the first signature line.

"Sign here." Tenten, having never _used_ such a pen before (they weren't exactly 'bodyguard' practical), clumsily scratched her signature onto the paper. Blinking, Hiashi wordlessly continued to point her to page after page until she'd somehow attained a degree in fountain pen artistry, then sniffed and slammed the folder shut. Neji was yawning from his seat by the time they'd finished. "Thank you, Tenten. You are officially an employee of Hyuga Industries. Work commences as soon as Neji's meeting ends; in the meantime, Ms Yamanaka will give you a brief tour of the building."

She tucked the manila folder beneath her armpit and followed the secretary out of the door. All in all, Tenten felt positively horrified, but any reservations she'd had about her new client were dissipated when the woman waved a cheque underneath her nose.

"For insurance," the blonde giggled, "We do this for all the new bodyguards. You'd be surprised how difficult your job can be, especially when you're a woman."

Tenten struck while the iron was hot, and graciously accepted her bribe. "Why is that?"

The secretary led Tenten into a sleek, communal area before setting up the coffee machine. She opened the fridge, pulled out a carton of slim milk and made a face. "You'll realise soon enough. A quick heads up: don't wear anything other than black pantsuits and shades with him in public. You'll be hard-pressed _not_ to punch the paparazzi if you don't."

Been there, done that. Guarding the rich and famous was more than a chore, especially when people actually _liked_ them. She'd never known how annoying it could be to stop someone from being mauled by crowds of rabid fangirls until Sasuke assigned her to Killer B a few years back. Needless to say, his retirement from the rapping industry came as a blessing to her.

"Not exactly a challenge," Tenten replied, suddenly grateful for the multitudes of business suits strewn all over her apartment, "Anything else?"

"I'm Ino Yamanaka," she finished pouring out the coffee into a grey mug and held out her hand, "Come to me if you need anything. If it's to cry or pig-out from stress, I know a place a few levels down." Ino gave her a playful wink, to which Tenten responded with a firm handshake and an uncertain grin.

"Come on," Ino led her out of the room and back to Hiashi's office, where Neji was closing the door behind him and simultaneously eyeing a new intern. Tenten sighed, parting ways with Ino as she followed her new boss into an office down the hall.

Do it for the money, Tenten. Do it for the money.

* * *

**Monday, June 27. 11:00 AM**

**From: tampon**

I have words for you, Tennie, and none of them are as pretty as I am. You owe me at least ten boxes of macarons for ditching your date last night.

* * *

**Hyuga Industries**

**June 27| 1101 UTC**

Tenten emerged from the women's bathroom, brows furrowed. Now was definitely not the time to concern herself over minute details like being _unjustly accused_ for something she didn't do, for once, so she switched the phone to vibrate and pocketed it. Heels inaudible against the marble flooring, Tenten hurried back to Neji's office, frown deepening when she noted his secretary's empty desk. She hadn't had the time to do a security check on Neji's personal staff yet, so any paranoia she had over potential security threats hadn't been quenched. This guy was going to be the death of her and her career, if he kept this up.

A knock on the door, and a twist on the handle led to a sight she'd naively hoped not to come across, ever. Even so, Tenten didn't bat an eyelash when they struggled to readjust their shirts. The brunette fixed a sharp glare on their intruder, to which Tenten replied, "Mr Hyuga, I'm sure you wouldn't mind that I perform a security check on your secretary. I'm afraid no employee is exempt from this precaution - for your own safety, of course."

The woman flushed, then shot a glare at Neji, who seemed remarkably amused by this turn of events. "Of course. Your professionalism is greatly appreciated."

"Who _are_ you?" She huffed, throwing a blazer over her shoulders.

"Close Protection Operator," Tenten said coldly. "May I check the contents of your bag, Miss?"

"Mrs," she corrected snootily. There was no response. "And yes, you may."

Tenten strode towards the table, politely extracted the handbag from her open hands and quickly turned the bag inside out before replacing its contents. All the while, as she was trained, her expression didn't budge from its mask of apathy. From the corner of her vision, she saw Neji watching their interaction with keen interest.

"You're clear," she thanked the secretary for her cooperation, and watched the woman shuffle out of the office with her head held high. Inwardly, Tenten sighed in relief. Her job was always significantly more difficult when people didn't want to cooperate, and seeing how Tenten was going to be around the secretary more often, she really didn't want to create enemies on her first day. "Thank you for your patience, Sir."

He dipped his chin solemnly before leaning back in his chair and observing her intently. "I've received word that the guest house has been prepared for you. You and the executive security team should be able to keep in close contact from now on."

Tenten kept her response to a minimum. "Yes, Sir."

He nodded, then rifled through his files nonchalantly. "So," she snapped back to attention, "Are we going to talk about it?"

"About?" Tenten feigned ignorance.

"Our first meeting. Wasn't it ironic?"

She avoided his sharp gaze. "The one person who has ever managed to place me in a compromising position is none other than the woman designated to protect me." Tenten winced, now that he was laying out her mind's torment before him. Neji seemed pleased by her reaction and shook his head smugly. "I admit, I am far from pleased that my Uncle has assigned me a new bodyguard, especially when I'd explicitly expressed a lack of need for one. However, considering last night, I am relieved. Welcome to the team."

Tenten didn't know what to make of his impromptu speech, nor his sudden and disorienting change in character, so she chose to give him a brief smile and a gentle, "Thank you, Sir."

"Neji," he held up a hand, "When it is just the two of us, call me Neji." At her conflicted look, he added, "Sir makes me feel old, which I am not. Clearly."

"Clearly," she allowed a small smirk to filter through her mask of indifference. Maybe this job wouldn't be so bad, after all.

* * *

**MISSED CALLS (6)**

**6:23 PM**

**tampon (3)**

**8:00 PM**

**sakura (2)**

**11: 45 PM**

**tampon (1)**

* * *

**Monday, June 27. 9:13 PM**

**From: sakura**

Hey Tennie, you okay? Temari's blowing a fuse over here. Call soon, yeah?

* * *

**Sign in to VidLeaf**

**Username:** ten_ten

 **Password:** ********

* * *

**Group call: saku_ha, temari_no_sabaku ?**

* * *

**Hyuga Manor**

**June 28| 0010 UTC**

"Hey guys," she rasped out, "Sorry I've been MIA lately."

Temari sniffled. "You'd better be. I haven't had my fill of macarons yet."

"Gross. Moving on," Sakura's beaming face peered up at Tenten through the monitor. "How's the new client going?"

Tenten silently turned the laptop around and showed them the interior of Hyuga Manor's guest house. They gasped immediately, and ordered her to move it around the area to get a closer look at the wine cabinets. "Better than I'd expected," she said, after finishing their house tour. "Hyuga Industries works insanely quickly. I had no idea they'd be able to clear out an entire house in less than thirty minutes. It was magical."

"You're so lucky," Sakura crooned. "Most businesses make you book expensive hotel rooms and expect you to trail after them like dogs."

"Don't I know that," Tenten walked the laptop over to the dinner table and resumed her late, late dinner. "The security arrangements are still crazy, though. I don't think I've had to memorise so many procedures in my life."

Another, deep, voice was calling Sakura from her little square box. Tenten winced when Sasuke's stern face appeared. "Hey, sir."

"Hey, yourself. Shouldn't you be asleep?"

Temari yawned. "We're catching up, after you so cruelly sent her to work at a diamond-cutting factory."

"Hardly," he snorted, then glared back up at Tenten. "One AM, no more. You hear?"

"Yes, sir."

There's a lull of silence, then-

"So, about your blind date."

"Bye." Tenten closed the lid. Without missing a beat, Temari's face appeared on her phone's screen.

"Hello?"

"Tenten," Temari said delicately, "Did you lie about being at the Tavern?"

"Nope. I was there. I have alibis!" She stuffed a forkful of steak into her mouth and started chewing, viciously. "And, you should know that Neji Hyuga can fully vouch for my presence."

The line was silent. "Neji? Hinata's right-hand man?"

"Yeah?" Tenten slowly drew out her words. "Wasn't he the one you'd set up? For me?"

"No? That was Gaara."

"Gaara." Tenten struggled to grasp for words. Snot-nosed Gaara from pre-school? "You tried setting me up with your brother?"

She hasn't seen him since they'd graduated from nose-picking toddlers to fighting ones, which was approximately twenty years ago.

"Tried," Temari remarked bitterly, "And failed."

Feeling mildly guilty, "I don't think that'd be a great idea, Temari. I mean, I'm busy, and-"

"Yeah, yeah. I get it. No hard feelings." Her chipper tone sounded a little forced to Tenten, but she ignored it, grateful that Temari was veering away from the topic. "More importantly, Neji Hyuga? How did _that_ happen?"

She parroted the Date's events to Temari, making sure to exclude specific facts, like her baiting him towards the corner-booth woman, and then catching him in a _very_ mutual interaction with his secretary the day after. In the midst of her recount, Tenten struggled to process why he chose to be so kind to after she'd interrupted his... session. His reputation preceded him, regardless of who he was to her. Neji Hyuga was not known for tolerating rudeness easily.

"It could just be his reputation, you know," Tenten could hear a bubble of gum popping on the other end of the receiver, "Sometimes actions and words don't speak loudly enough about a person."

"That sounds plausible," she said diplomatically.

"Anyway," Temari perked up, "Since Neji's your boss, and all that entails, how about you meet someone new?" Tenten rolled her eyes as she carried her plate over to the sink and doused it in detergent. "For instance, someone influential? Looks a little like me, but with red hair and less striking features? To make up for leaving him at the altar?" Her friend doled out a barrage of questions in desperation.

"The barstool, you mean," she wiped the dish down and settled it on the rack.

Tenten wanted to say that her new timetable was too hectic to schedule in anything that exceeded the five-metre radius of a certain Hyuga, but kept her mouth shut when she decided to rationalise before she argued. There was no harm in making an effort, for once.

It wasn't as though she had never met Gaara before, either. At the very least, she knew that she could trust Gaara to be honourable and respectful, having been raised by the stern Rasa no Sabaku himself. There was no way that Gaara would be a jackass, unless he became a murdering psychopath with a thirst for blood. Overnight. It was impossible.

And, even as children, she and Gaara had never shared any bad blood. They were always the ones who silently, in knowing solidarity, observed Naruto and Sasuke's in-class spats from the seats together. The more Tenten dwelled on this particular topic, the more she found herself looking forward to clearing her schedule for a night and meeting him again. It helped that she _did_ , after all, owe Temari for being a pain in the ass for three straight years. "I'll think about it," she said, vaguely, "I mean it this time."

Her friend cackled in relief. " _Finally_."

She laughed. "So, what's he like now?"

"Is that interest I hear?" Tenten coughed. "He's running along the same lines as us, somewhat. Kankurou tells me his transferral to LPD is finishing off this month, so he's moving to Konoha to get settled in for the time being."

"A police officer, then." Tenten let out a low whistle, thoroughly impressed.

"A sergeant, actually," she iterated cheekily, "And he's only twenty-six."

"Colour me impressed. I'll get back to you about this, for sure."

"Looking forward to it," Temari yawned, "Alright, I've had enough of you. Laters."

"Night."

The line fizzled out, leaving Tenten to stand by at the sink pensively. She didn't want to be alone for the rest of her life, even if the demanding, fast-paced (and well-paying) nature of her job thrilled her to the core. There were still times when, if she lingered long enough for her brain to rationalise one deeply-concealed thought at a time, she wondered if being a shadow was _enough_. If being hidden, eternally working behind the flashing lights and the humdrum of society, would be fulfilling enough for her to dedicate her life to forever. It'd be nice, at the very least, to have someone who could understand her.

There was a sudden tapping sound at the door of the guest house. Tenten stared at it long enough to realise that it was _knocking_ and let out a deep breath. "Tenten." She heard a familiar voice call her from the other side, startling her into a frenzy of hair-tying and jumper-pulling - anything to fix her appearance. She bristled when the knocking grew more persistent.

Finally pulling on a pair of denim jeans, Tenten pulled the door open.

It was Neji, hand still positioned in mid-air, where the centre of the door used to be, eyes widened in alarm. He schooled his features into a softer expression and smiled.

"Hey, dinner?"

* * *

**~ Daily Horoscope ~**

Never look a gift-horse in the mouth!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I have no idea what it's like to be a CEO, or a co-CEO (if those exist), or a bodyguard, so most of the story is based on what I've googled. You can also view Tenten's dress on my tumblr (shameless advertising: 'misspandalily'; it's the ralph russo one), and I don't own Naruto!

**Hyuga Manor**

**June 28 | 0145 UTC**

"Thank you, Mr Hy-Neji," she corrected herself at his pointed look, "But the timing is quite...inopportune." Tenten countered her rejection with a polite smile, then noted his rumpled appearance, the loosened tie hanging around his shoulders, the creased white shirt, and frowned. She'd dropped him off in the Manor's garage _hours_ ago, and as far as she was concerned he'd finished his dinner with the Hyuga family at ten. "Did you go somewhere?"

And without her protection? Was he asking for a death wish?

Neji nodded. "I was at The Tavern with the woman from yesterday. Don't worry," he said honestly, holding up a hand when her face betrayed a hint of frustration, "She was harmless."

Tenten immediately felt the urge to slam the door in his face and thump her forehead against the wall over and over again. It was verging on two in the morning, she had a meeting with the executive team in three hours, and here was her boss being an idiot, a total _imbecile._ It was pure luck that Neji hadn't directed himself to the nearest social precipice already, him being a bodyguard's nightmare.

As much as Tenten hated to admit it, 90% of a bodyguard's life consisted of waiting around patiently for their principal to finalise their "meetings", illicit affairs or not. On some rare occasions, people in her field were blessed with the grace of Kami and designated more...honourable clients, but unfortunately, Tenten had managed to draw the short end of the stick.

She watched Neji hum contemplatively, hands digging into his pockets as he tilted his head to the side. His eyes flickered to her thick jumper and denim jeans before he nodded once again. "I'll be going now." Neji turned on his heel and strode away. Tenten gawked and ran out. He glanced back when he heard her footsteps patter behind him, eyebrow raised.

"Allow me to walk you back to the Manor, Neji," she quickly shut the door behind her. Seeing the glint in his eyes, she elaborated, "The main house is at least ten minutes away; anything could happen."

Neji, who had been smirking at her in amusement seconds beforehand, suddenly removed his hands from his pockets and gave her a grim smile. "That will not be necessary," he said firmly.

"I insist," Tenten pressed, unsure of his sudden change in tone. "Your security-"

"Will be fine within Hyuga Manor's walls, I assure you," he straightened his posture when her eyes hardened, "Nothing can penetrate this mansion." She stared at him curiously, but didn't voice her speculations. She wasn't meant to, and neither was she entitled to care for his personal reasons, but so far Neji had been reasonably compliant with her security protocols. He didn't even bat an eyelash or reprimand her when she interrupted their rendezvous, so why would he change his attitude now? Tenten furrowed her brows when he unflinchingly returned her gaze with a cold glare. "I will be fine," Neji repeated, voice adopting a sharp edge.

Clearly, she wasn't going to be given another explanation, so Tenten backed down and filed away this information for later. "As you wish," she said through gritted teeth. He nodded stiffly.

"Thank you."

* * *

**Tuesday, June 28. 6:30 AM**

**From: HN secretary**

**To: tenten**

**Re: 28 June itinerary**

1000 - Board Meeting - Room 400

1330 - Meeting with Hinata Hyuga - Room 365

1500 - Fitting - Room 360

2030 - Dinner with Naruto Uzumaki - The Grand Leaf Hotel

* * *

**Hyuga Industries, Level 36**

**June 28 | 0930 UTC**

Hours later, Tenten's morning was filled with half-assed driving towards Hyuga Industries in Neji's company-owned Jaguar, then ushering him into the building as quickly as possible before the hoards of admirers (read: despisers) camped in front of the office building could notice him, and then running up to level 40 to ensure that the allotted meeting room was free of bugs and suspicious materials. She was pretty sure that Hiashi was giving her his version of a thumbs-up, which was a blink if she was perfectly honest, when he saw her combing through Room 400 with hawk-eyes.

"So," Tenten leaned against Ino's desk while sipping a cup of coffee. Neji was uncharacteristically cooped up in his office for the time being, so Tenten decided to take this opportunity to eat the breakfast that'd been calling for her since four AM. Plus, Shikamaru had everything else under control for the time being. "What's this fitting I'm hearing about from the staff?"

(Right, so Tenten met the Team this morning. As it turned out, they were just as frazzled by Neji's onslaught of hook-ups as she was, and they've all been there for _years_ now. Shikamaru was the Team Leader, because apparently he had an IQ of over 200 but failed his high-school exams because he was too _lazy_ and ended up making use of his skills elsewhere, and as the newcomer, Tenten was introduced to a tattoo-faced Kiba and a bulky guy named Choji. They were all crazy nice, so now she had something other than a paycheck to look forward to for this job.)

Ino tapped down on the 'enter' button and looked up, chin resting in the dip of her folded hands. "Ah, yes. The Fitting."

"What fitting?" she reiterated.

"Bodyguards here don't always get special treatment, you know. In my opinion," Ino leaned in and whispered, "It's because you all work with Neji, and we all know that Hiashi shows his love for Neji through his wallet."

Tenten blinked before biting into a bread-roll. "I genuinely have no idea what you're insinuating."

Ino tut-tutted. "You're familiar with Kevlar." Tenten nodded, still confused. "The Boss fits everyone on Neji's security team with Kevlar suits, all tailored to perfection and custom designed by top-notch brands. I know, it's ridiculous, but money talks."

"And here I thought he was buying yet another suit for an event." Tenten shook her head ruefully and downed the rest of her coffee. She heard Shikamaru's drawl filter through her earpiece, lightly informing her of the Board members' arrival. "I'm off, take care!" Ino sent her a small finger wave and continued typing away at the keyboard and answering phone calls with a chipper tone.

Tenten ventured over to the secretary's desk and gave her a small nod in greeting - which was returned cordially, thank Kami - before knocking on Neji's office door. "Enter."

"Morning, Sir." She was greeted by the divine sight of Neji sitting alone at his desk and scrawling down words onto sheets of paper. He glanced up at her greeting and set his (ballpoint!) pen down on the table.

"Tenten."

"The Board members are beginning to arrive. Would you like to prepare for the meeting?"

She stood in front of his desk with her hands clasped together in front of her, silently observing him flit his cursive writing along the page in fluid precision. After a few minutes, he released the pen and exhaled, then placed the sheet on top of a manila folder. His jaw was set. "Yes, let's go."

They made their way to the elevator, Tenten one step behind him as he tucked the papers underneath his armpit and held the metal doors open for her. A brief smile, a press of the button four numbers above theirs, and the lift was playing a strange tune she hadn't noticed on her first day on the job. Like a strange, jazzy sound mixed with a twenty-first century beat. Her ears were struggling to keep up with the odd combination.

"I'd like to apologise for my conduct early this morning." She heard Neji's baritone voice speak up quietly and turned her head towards him. His words were a surprise, to say the least; she hadn't been expecting an apology at all. Staying silent and ever-concerned for her clients' welfare was her _thing_. This 'thing' didn't need impeccable politeness when the safety of the client was highest on her priority list. He hesitated when she thanked him graciously. "Despite what may have been your initial impression of me, you can rest assured that I see you as a professional."

The elevator stopped at level 39 before she could let his last words sink in. She immediately shielded her eyes with sunglasses and stepped behind him when the Hyuga sisters stepped in.

"Neji," Hinata greeted him warmly, "Are you prepared for our first Board meeting?"

Tenten pretended to be pre-occupied with her phone as he looked back at her, as he faced his cousin and her friend again to carry on the conversation, and continued to shadow him to the outside of his meeting room. She was used to this, being disregarded. While the men in her line of work stood out from the crowd with their burly statures and muscular figures, she was known for blending into the crowds and the walls of a building like a chameleon. Evidently, it worked, because her friend of seven years hadn't even recognised her.

Hearing feedback was one thing, and seeing the truth at face-value was another. Tenten wasn't sure which one she preferred.

* * *

**Hyuga Industries, Level 36**

**June 28 | 1555 UTC**

They'd only been at this fitting for a little less than an hour, and Tenten was already starting to bounce on the balls of her feet impatiently. She had work to get to, a businessman to protect, food to eat! Neji's dinner meeting was tonight, and she had to feed herself before she was doomed to eating minimal food at the table a seats away and scanning his surroundings like a hyper-active computer. The designer tsked at her and slapped the side of her leg lightly.

"Be still, hun, this fitting is nearly complete." She took a deep breath and smiled down at Deidara as he flicked his hair to the side and inserted a sewing pin into her waistline. "Your figure is amazing, by the way, very muscular."

And Tenten would be creeped out by that statement, if he wasn't saying it so scientifically. She almost felt like a specimen under his gaze, like a lump of clay set on the pottery block for molding.

"How many suits did we need to go through again?"

"Hun," he sent her a look that wasn't unkind, "Only this one, and we'll make copies of it." She sighed in relief. "It's the dresses you'll have to worry about. Those take time." Nope, never mind.

If she was being truly introspective, Tenten would admit to herself that she hated this fitting because women who join the army for a few years before diverging into bodyguard work just weren't accustomed to being pampered. She was the kind of girl who'd spent years of her life training with Gai and Lee and accumulating a wealth of bruises that she wore on her skin like battle scars and badges. That lifestyle didn't need anything other than a simple shirt and sweatpants, and maybe the occasional dress for formal functions. The thing was, her hair hadn't been let down and styled in years, and neither had her fingernails and _toenails_ been buffed and shined to perfection, ever. And while she knew that the vast array of clothes propped up before her were _pretty_ (especially that dramatic navy blue one), she didn't know how to react to them.

Deidara caught her eye and clapped in delight. "That was my next choice." He seized the dress, pushed her off the square fitting-platform and ushered her into the portable changing room a few metres away. She stumbled into it, somewhat disoriented by his speed and peeled off her clothes.

"Ah, Neji! Welcome!" Tenten froze, then hurriedly hung up the suit and pulled the dress over her shoulders.

"I heard there was a fitting," he replied casually.

"Well, yes. Obviously, hun." They chattered about as Deidara proceeded to pull out clothes for Neji to wear. Tenten allowed herself to relax with the knowledge that Deidara would wait until she was done before urging Neji to change. So she slowly turned around to face herself in the mirror, somewhat nervous about what she would find when she saw herself.

"Red really isn't your colour, Neji."

"Thank you."

She gaped at her reflection, willing the illusion to disappear. The dress itself was nice, with long, see-through sleeves tinged in a beautiful dark blue. In fact, the entire thing was blue, and it made her naturally-tanned skin look lighter than usual. Her shoulders naturally straightened themselves and the heels that Deidara had strapped onto her feet gave her an extra height boost that made the floor-length gown sway at her feet gently. _She_ looked nice, which was the main reason why her mouth was hanging open in disbelief.

Tenten didn't hear the voices come closer until the curtain was roughly yanked aside and Deidara screamed in joy. She jumped, tripping on the hem slightly and knocking her elbows around before finding herself toppling down...and into Neji's chest.

"You look _gorgeous,_ " he fanned himself with a smug grin, "And in my finest design yet."

She felt Neji gently push her off his - incredibly solid, why are her cheeks heating up, oh no - chest and help her resettle herself into a comfortable standing position. He met her crinkling eyes with his own; she looked away instantly and tried to focus on Deidara's exclamations. Because that emotion shining through was sending chills down her spine, and seeing how he'd only been her client for a grand total of two days, she really needed him to stop it. Tenten quietly thanked him when the designer started pulling the curtain back, ordering her to change out so he could gift it to her, or something.

The rest of the fitting was a blur, and half an hour later, when Tenten was occupying herself with trying to look occupied on a seat in room 360, and finally looked up from her list of things to do, he was still shooting her funny looks with his pale grey eyes.

Oh, boy.

* * *

**Tuesday, June 28. 5:30 PM**

**from: UNKNOWN NUMBER**

This is Neji.

**Add 'Neji' to contacts?**

**\- YES**

**Neji is added to your contacts.**

* * *

**The Grand Leaf Hotel**

**June 28 | 2000 UTC**

She wore her trusty, high-collared black dress to the dinner.

Its skirt was voluminous enough to conceal the gun strapped to her right thigh and the sheathed knife tied to her left, and still managed to make her waist look superb, so it was a win-win situation for her all round. Her comfiest pair of pumps were enclosed around her feet, and she'd decided to let her hair tumble down for the night to cover her earpiece.

And Shikamaru seemed to approve of the outfit too, judging by the nonchalant shrug of his shoulder as she got into the car. They arrived half an hour before the allotted time, during which period Shikamaru told her and Kiba to stay in the car with Neji until he'd finished checking through the building with Naruto's bodyguards and ensuring that there weren't any suspicious devices and/or people lying around.

It was mostly silent, save for her and Kiba's brief, clipped words to each other about the organisation of Neji's security while he was dining. This was Tenten's zone, and she took comfort in the straight-forward world of protocol, where nothing was confusing to her, not even the fact that Neji's eyes were burning holes into the back of her head for no particular reason.

"Alright," Shikamaru's drawl filtered through their comms, "Clear."

Tenten gave Kiba a quick farewell before emerging from the passenger seat with her shades covering her eyes. She strode to Neji's door, checking that Shikamaru was standing at the entrance of the hotel, and pulled it open. "Sir."

Neji stepped out of the car and allowed her to close the door behind him. He touched her shoulder gently. "Thank you."

She thought nothing of it, and she wasn't supposed to in public, striding behind her boss like a loyal guard and ensuring that no one ventured within a two-metre radius of Neji unless they were Shikamaru. They split off when Naruto stood up from his table, calling out to Neji loudly and prompting the Hyuga to slap on a smile and greet him with a handshake. They were collaborating with Naruto's two CPOs, deciding to surround the two businessmen in a compass formation as they dined and discussed. She found herself seated at a table not far from Neji, in comparison to the distance with which the other guards were situated from their principals.

Dutifully, Tenten kept her uncovered eyes peeled on their surroundings and her ears trained on the words coming from her earpiece. The waiter came by with a menu, so she ordered a small plate of pasta, having inhaled a steak (or two) hours beforehand, then propped her chin up in her hands as she subtly angled a look at Neji.

Tenten froze. He was staring directly at her while Naruto perused the menu, head turned unabashedly. How was she supposed to deal with _that_? No one covered this in her training program.

She was saved by the arrival of her waiter. "Thank you," Tenten smiled politely, then waited for him to walk away. She brought her hand up to her ear and hissed, "Have you done a check on the food?"

"Affirmative," was Shikamaru's monotonous reply. "Why is he staring at you?"

"Beats me," she shrugged, making eye contact with her leader from across the room. His eyes glinted at her suspiciously.

Naruto suddenly burst out laughing, a raucous sound that made her jolt in her seat.

"Hm."

Meanwhile, Neji went through the motions of a business deal, thankfully with Naruto being amenable to Neji's requests as he consumed a shocking amount of ramen. It wasn't until Tenten was starting to wander _why_ a swanky restaurant in the wealthier end of town had a ramen dish when there was an unexpectedly new presence at her table. Tenten's head shot up.

"May I join you?"

"Gaara no Sabaku," she exclaimed softly, at a loud enough volume for Shikamaru to catch her message and start typing into his laptop. As a golden rule, any newcomers to the destination of their client's location was to have their entire history searched on the spot. Gaara didn't seem to notice this at all, and smiled at her.

"I'm surprised you still remember me, Tenten."

Seeing Gaara looking dapper in a fitted suit and with his bright red hair jutting out at all corners, greeting her kindly whilst she was on the Job, was not how Tenten had envisioned her reunion with the Sabaku man would go. But she had a cover to keep intact, so she sent Shikamaru a slight, two-second glance, to which he inclined his head, and welcomed Gaara into the adjacent seat.

"It'd be hard to forget you," she saw his eyes widen at the statement, "Because Temari never stops talking about you. That's why." Tenten amended, cringing. Neji was frowning at her table from the corner of her peripheral vision. "What brings you here?"

Gaara shifted in his seat. "Work." She recalled Temari telling her that he was in the police force, and tilted her head at him curiously.

"I have a function here for tonight. You?"

"Oh. Work," she parroted his words with a grin. "I hear you're relocating to Konoha."

"You heard correctly. I should be finished with it in a week or so." His eyes fell on her earpiece, which shouldn't surprise her, given that he's been in the field for as long as she has, and then flickered with recognition. "You seem busy."

"Correct," she affirmed gently. Gaara nodded in understanding as he moved to rise from the seat.

"I'll leave you to it. It was nice seeing you again."

"Likewise," she rose, subconsciously thrusting out a hand for him to shake. She would've, under any circumstance that didn't apply to a formal environment, cringed from the stiffness of her actions, but didn't because Gaara was doing the exact same thing. "That was subconscious," Tenten grinned when he closed the distance between their palms.

"Same." Gaara responded with a light smile and withdrew his hand respectfully. "I'll see you around, Tenten."

Tenten watched him walk away, past Shikamaru's barely concealed skepticism, and into another dining hall, then lowered herself onto her chair when she realised that her heart was beating rapidly in her chest.

Now, Tenten had seen her fair share of romcoms over the years - high school had come before the military, after all - but she didn't _really_ understand the appeal of a smouldering Male Species until two minutes ago. If this was what it felt like to swoon, Tenten didn't know what else to expect in the future.

As someone who always planned ahead and stuck to a rigid schedule like it was her lifeline, the thought of unexplored territory was both thrilling and terrifying.

Tenten shook her head and cleared all thoughts of romance from her mind. She had a livelihood to protect; there was no excuse for slacking off when Neji's life could be at stake. Without much further ado, she stabbed the last of her pasta and stuffed it in her mouth before refocusing on the mission at hand. Neji and Naruto seemed to be approaching the tail end of their conversation, so she signalled for the waiter to give her the bill and strode to the front desk for payment. Shikamaru followed her, expression a cross between amusement and slight concern. He joined her, handing the receptionist a few notes.

"Sergeant Gaara no Sabaku, famed policeman from the Suna Department? Who knew."

Tenten gave him a tight smile and directed her gaze to Neji and Naruto. "He'll be helpful in the future," she asserted, fixing her glasses on her eyes again. "That's all there is to it."

"I'm sure." He pressed his finger to his earpiece and called Kiba to drive up to the front of the hotel. She could hear the man's muffled, enthusiastic reply from the other end.

Neji branched away from Naruto moments later, allowing the blonde to talk to an old, white-haired man by the name of Jiraiya after their meeting was finalised. Tenten and Shikamaru stood by the door at attention, faces carefully set on a blank slate. He stiffly greeted them, eyes refusing to make the same contact with hers as they had been doing all of dinner, and pushed the glass doors open.

If Shikamaru noticed any of that, which he probably had, he didn't comment on it. The only one who did was Kiba, who quirked an eyebrow at Tenten when Neji crawled into the backseat quietly.

* * *

"He hasn't done that in a while," Kiba told her over the meeting room table early the next day. "Gone home without a hooker, I mean."

She shrugged, nursing a warm cup of coffee in her hands. "So, what?"

He looked away. "Interesting."

* * *

**~ Daily Horoscope ~**

All that glitters is not gold


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alas, part 4 has arrived! Thanks for being so patient :)

**Wednesday, June 29. 6:30AM**

**From: HN Secretary**

**To: Tenten**

**Re: 29 June itinerary**

0900 - Meeting with Hinata Hyuga - 361

1000 - Meeting with Hiashi Hyuga - 360

1200 - Informal Lunch with marketing team - 200

1300 - Annual Fire Drill & Emergency Evacuation Procedure

1500 - Meeting with Naruto Uzumaki - 403

* * *

**Wednesday, June 29. 7:00AM**

**From: Hyuga Industries Administration**

**To: Tenten**

**Re: Annual Fire Drill**

This is a friendly reminder to all staff members or personnel that the Annual Fire Drill and Emergency Evacuation Procedures will be taking place at 1pm across the entire Headquarters.

Thank you.

* * *

**Hyuga Industries, Level 1**

**June 29 | 0806 UTC**

Tenten has done fire drills before. Most of them followed the same protocol - lead everyone to a designated safety area, ensure no one is left behind, secure the premises, perform first aid if necessary. Been there, done that. She could do it in her sleep.

But apparently Hyuga Industries was more hardcore than every other corporation on the ritzier end of Konoha, because they didn't do brief practice drills that only spanned across two to three levels. They did drills for all forty levels of staff, top to bottom.

She'd been locked in a meeting room listening to Shikamaru drone on about security precautions à la Neji Hyuga since six in the morning, nursing her third cup of coffee (black, because no one had replaced the sugar unit yet) and trying her best not to fall asleep from the power of sheer boredom. Shockingly, her team leader seemed to have an inexhaustible vocal stamina, despite the lazy front he put up on a regular basis.

No one prepared this much for a full-scale practice drill unless they had time to spare and money to burn on security, both of which were definitely in Hiashi Hyuga's possession.

Granted, he hadn't had much time until Neji stepped up to work with Hinata, thus allowing the Hyuga patriarch to somewhat loosen his tight hold over Hyuga Industries and pass on the reigns to his family. Somewhat. Rumour (Ino) had it, he was testing his heirs, silently pulling the strings from behind the scenes and ensuring they were up to the task.

Didn't mean he had to pull the rest of the building's staff into his plans, though. The ass.

"In summary," Shikamaru drawled, immediately waking up any staff members - read, Kiba - who were genuinely beginning to doze off. "Any present Hyuga family members will be evacuated to the ground floor with the rest of the building's staff. While Tenten accompanies Mr Hyuga from the stairwell to the evacuation point, the rest of us will secure the premises and ensure no other threats - tangible or not - are present for the duration of the drill."

"Any questions?" He finished up, eyes flashing at the Team like the last thing he wanted was more questions. No one spoke up. Choji's jaws munched on a new bag of chips. "Fantastic. We reconvene on level 36 at noon."

* * *

**Wednesday, June 29. 12:00PM**

**From: UNKNOWN NUMBER**

Gaara, here. Temari sent me your number. Want to grab dinner tonight? Cheers.

**Add 'Gaara no Sabaku' to your contacts?**

**\- YES**

**Gaara no Sabaku is added to your contacts.**

* * *

**Wednesday, June 29. 12:30PM**

**To: Gaara no Sabaku**

Sure thing :)

* * *

**Hyuga Industries, Level 20**

**June 29 | 1300 UTC**

"A fine day for a fire drill," Neji remarked, emerging from Room 200 with a smirk on his face. She smiled back, ears trying their best to ignore the sirens blaring through the building.

"Indeed. Right this way, Mr Hyuga." Shikamaru passed by, Choji and Kiba trailing behind him with their mouths yammering and their eyes darting around. He sent her the briefest of nods and continued down the hallway with the rest of the Team. Tenten led Neji to the door of the stairwell, ushering him inside before closing the door behind them. He was pushed to her left while she walked along the exterior of the fire escape, scanning their surroundings and occasionally updating Shikamaru on their progress.

At level fifteen, Neji broke the relative silence. "How was your morning?"

Tenten tried not to let her steps falter. Truth be told, she had no idea how to deal with Neji anymore, particularly after a combination of his one-sided staring contest from last night and the dress fiasco. Pretending she was busy and working was the most effective way of tackling her silky-haired problem, and it had sufficed up until this very moment.

"Uh," her tongue fumbled, uncharacteristically informal. "It was efficient. After we dropped you off at work, Shikamaru held a meeting for two hours. On the fire drill," she answered the incredulous glint in his eyes, "I know. I went through three cups of coffee. How was your morning?"

Level 14. Kami, time went by slowly when she didn't want it to.

Neji replied vaguely. "Eventful. I may have secured a new business plan."

"Great!" Tenten chirped, genuinely proud. "I take it that that's the reason why you were in so many meetings this morning."

"Indeed."

Level 13.

A new wave of employees entered through the level's fire escape door, gasping when they caught sight of their employer and allowing the both of them to pass through. All talk of business deals, admittedly two seconds of it, went out the window. They lapsed back into an awkward silence, climbing down staircases with the crowd of staff at their heels.

Level 10.

"So," he started quietly, at a volume loud enough for her to hear but quiet enough for the rest of the staff to dismiss as background noise, "How was your dinner last night?"

Tenten blinked. "Well, mostly I was working." A big, fat, white lie.

Neji hummed, his face a carefully-blank canvas. "I do appreciate your unparalleled professionalism, Tenten."

They approached the steps to Level 8 when she graciously accepted his compliment with a "Thank you, sir." Her boss nodded politely.

"However, I was surprised to see the illustrious Sergeant Sabaku in your company."

And there it was.

Tenten internally cringed and struggled to come up with an adequate answer. Of course he would know about Gaara dining with her, even if it was for a short amount of time - he was there when it happened.

She replied in the affirmative.

Neji's lips thinned marginally when she didn't elaborate beyond a confirmation. Tenten panicked, wondering if she should craft an excuse for not paying full attention to him while working. Surely that was the reason why he'd been upset at her. Hyuga Industries had hired her under the impression that she was a professional, someone hard-working who devoted herself to her trade. Tenten went with the truth.

"Apologies, Mr Hyuga. I had no intention of seeing the Sergeant yesterday. It was a chance occurrence."

She noticed his grey eyes look at her intently, a smile gracing his lips. "You are forgiven, but I am not upset." Tenten nodded in relief.

Level 5.

"Am I correct in assuming that you've worked together before?"

"We've never had the opportunity to cross paths while working, no," Tenten shook her head slowly, continuing when his gaze turned inquisitive, "We met when he was living in Konoha. I was four years old."

She heard the cogs turning in Neji's head, connecting the dots of her explanation together. "Childhood friends," he said flatly.

Level 4.

"I wouldn't say friends. Yesterday was the first time I'd seen him in twenty years."

Neji stole another glance at her when they rounded the staircase, amused. "You must have had a busy twenty years, then."

She grinned. "They're all on my resume."

"I've seen it. Impressive feats for someone so young."

Tenten had read his personal information when Sasuke gave her the manila folder of his life story. He was younger than her by months and knew it, but she held her tongue in favour of a gracious thank you. They were on good terms at the moment - better, even, compared to last night's deathly-quiet car ride - and she didn't want to jeopardise that. And besides, he seemed pleased at something, probably his approved venture. She'd be an idiot to spoil his mood.

Level 3.

"Have you ever heard of Minato Namikaze?" Neji spoke up again. Tenten blinked. She did recall a former Mayor surnamed Namikaze. Voice of a God, clear blue-sea eyes, responsible for the Legendary Crime Rate Plummet of '91, and known for famously proposing to his policewoman girlfriend Kushina Uzumaki on live television (he'd called her a Red Hot Habanero, to everyone else's confusion).

"A magnificent Mayor," she replied with a tone of fondness for Konoha's most entertaining and terrifyingly-efficient leader. She'd been upset when he passed away over a decade ago from mysterious causes, but not as much as Naruto had been.

"There will be a Memorial Dinner for him tonight," Neji said softly, "And I am aware that you have the night off." Tenten raised her eyebrows, then lowered them when she realised she wasn't at all surprised that her boss knew her daily timetable. An idiot though he was outside of Hyuga Industries' walls, Neji was known for being annoyingly meticulous and thorough with his work.

Still, where was he going with this.

Level 2.

"Will you accompany to the Dinner?"

She couldn't freeze in place because there were too many people behind them, but Tenten was pretty sure that her feet stopped responding to her brain for a millisecond. She soldiered on to Level 1. It wasn't a date. He was just asking her because he wanted her to work. That was probably it. Neji had plenty of other women to ask anyway - and they were all on the news so he could probably skim through all of his _Ok Konoha_ appearances and choose the one who caught his eye the most.

"I'm afraid I have dinner with a friend tonight. Thank you for extending an invitation to me," Tenten tried keeping her expression neutral when she turned to look at Neji. His face was blank. "I appreciate it, sir."

They reached the lobby, at which she yanked open the door with a little more force than necessary and guided him through.

Breathe.

* * *

**Wednesday, June 29. 5:30PM**

**From: Gaara no Sabaku**

Great, how about accompanying me to a function I have tonight?

* * *

**Wednesday, June 29. 5:32PM**

**To: Gaara no Sabaku**

I have the night off. Whereabouts?

* * *

**Wednesday, June 29. 5:34PM**

**From: Gaara no Sabaku**

At The Senju Hotel. For the Minato Namikaze Memorial Dinner? It starts at eight.

* * *

**Wednesday, June 29. 5:40PM**

**To: Gaara no Sabaku**

Sounds great. Pick me up at Temari's at 7:30ish?

* * *

**Wednesday, June 29. 5:41PM**

**From: Gaara no Sabaku**

Will do.

* * *

**Sickle Street, Konoha's CBD**

**June 29 | 1836 UTC**

Temari greeted her at the door with her hair pulled up into a towel and one of her eyelids smudged with glittery eyeshadow. She welcomed her in with a brief hug. "Bit late," Temari laughed out, guiding Tenten into her living room. "We only have an hour to get you ready now."

"Sorry," Tenten said over her shoulder, depositing the one evening gown she possessed onto the black, leather couch. "I had a meeting to attend before Shikamaru gave me the night off."

The hairdryer was switched on in the bathroom, high-speed whirring sound blasting through the apartment as Tenten laid out the dress over the furniture. She could have worn Deidara's dress for the Memorial Dinner, but the designer had been adamant on adjusting it to her measurements before she could properly keep it in her possession, so she went to a small boutique after the meeting ended and bought the first dress that looked presentable enough while still fitting her comfortably. Read, comfortably enough for her to strap some weapons onto her thighs without it looking suspicious.

While she was by all technicalities off-duty, no well-trained bodyguard truly let their guard down, even if most of the Leaf's Police Department as well as Sasuke's entourage of KIA employees would be present.

Temari emerged from the bathroom with her other eye made-up and a brush running through her sandy-blonde hair. Her friend paused to survey the new garment. "It has nice patterns," she said simply, flipping her dried hair over her shoulder. Tenten agreed. It was a simple dress - strapless black bodice, white tea-length skirt with black and gold constellations embroidered into the fabric - but it rested below her clavicle nicely and allowed her to move with enough agility to fight should the need arise.

Distantly, Tenten wondered what life would be like if she didn't feel the constant need to prepare herself for a battle.

She fell into an amicable conversation with Temari as they both prepared for the Dinner, guffawing at the occasional joke and helping each other into their dresses.

"Ugh," Tenten cried out, her nose pointed towards her armpit, "Do you have any spare razors? I missed a spot in the shower."

"I might have some disposable ones in the bathroom. Hang on," Temari retrieved a disposable razor from the top shelf of her sink and threw it at Tenten, who caught it expertly. She trimmed down the accused hairs, slapping on some moisturising cream before any further damage could be done. "So, who's your date to this dinner anyway?"

All too soon, Tenten recalled Neji inviting her to be his plus-one for the Dinner, then quickly expelled all such thoughts from her mind. Furthermore, she'd been under the impression that Gaara had already notified his sister of the evening's plans, but apparently he hadn't - unless Temari was feigning ignorance. In which case, "Who's yours?"

"I don't have one," she admitted, "I'm on duty at the Dinner. Sasuke would slaughter me if I brought someone on a work night."

A fair point. She noticed Temari looking at her expectantly. Tenten tucked the last strand of her hair into a neat bun and flattened it with hairspray. The digital clock on Temari's wall beeped, 7:30. A few seconds later, the doorbell rang.

Tenten silently lauded Gaara's impeccable timing as Temari ran to answer the door.

"Gaara," Tenten smiled when he stepped in, red hair in its usual disarray. "Right on time." Temari wordlessly closed the door behind her brother, dark irises taking in the scene unfolding before her with barely-concealed joy.

"Hey," he greeted her quietly. She saw his eyes land on her face before they took in her entire appearance. A slight blush formed at his cheeks. "You look nice."

_He_ looked nice. All fitted tux and smouldering like no tomorrow. Temari walked into the room with an electric fan, turned it on and blew it at their cheeks.

"Cool down, you two. I don't want to see anything happening _before_ the dinner. Or ever, for that matter." Tenten snatched it out of Temari's hands and glowered at the cackling female.

"Anyway," Tenten stammered, feeling the blood sting at her cheeks. She brushed down her skirt and fixed an embarrassed smile on Gaara, who smiled back. "Let's get going."

They filed into Gaara's car, after some last-minute checks in the mirror, after Temari ran upstairs in horror when she realised she hadn't locked her door yet, and revved on the engine. She sat in the front, careful not to mess up the bun. There was an artful pin laced in cobra venom running through it and she didn't want to smudge it over Gaara's car seat.

He pulled out of the driveway and locked in the address of the dinner. When they reached a traffic light, Tenten suddenly noticed him staring at her thigh. She snapped her fingers at him accusatorially.

"Smith & Wesson?"

She looked down, realising that the gun she'd attached to her thigh was currently falling to her ankle. Tenten chuckled.

"Accident," she unabashedly pulled the strap up to the middle of her thigh, aware of his eyes following her every move, before tightening it and yanking her skirt down again. "Thanks for pointing it out."

"No problem." Gaara's face was as red as his hair.

Temari rolled her eyes and extracted a different electric fan from her purse. _Kami_ _._

* * *

**~Daily Horoscope!~**

Better late than never.


End file.
